The Hand-Me-Down Approach

Batteries that will no longer power a high output device can be used in low output devices. So those run-down batteries that you take out of your digital camera, for example, should have plenty of life left to power your TV remote for a while.

The Battery Swap

When the batteries in your electronic devices run down, try swapping their positions to squeeze every last drop of juice from them. For devices with two batteries, then, simply put battery A into battery B's place and vice versa. If the device has three or more batteries, shift them all one position. (It doesn't matter which direction, but shifting the same way each time ensures even rotation.)

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The theory: One battery in the sequence will drain more quickly than the other(s) because the device pulls more from the battery in that position; switching them around puts the battery with more remaining power in the high-drain position. All of this is purely anecdotal, based on my personal experience (it's always breathed a little more life into my devices), that of another Lifehacker writer, and something I heard long ago, so your mileage may vary. (Incidentally, if anyone can drop a little science on this one way or the other, we'd appreciate it. The closest we were able to find to agreement was this web site.)

Your Clever Battery Tricks?

If you've used either of these methods to push your batteries to the limits, feel free to add more anecdotal evidence in the comments. Got some science to confirm or bust these battery myths? Put that in the comments too.